CARRY ON CRISIS !!!

 

Hey, Good Morning…..Our departing flight was on time…I saw people checking luggage that could hold several extra passengers    Compliments of a sincere and very funny Delta host the packed waiting area had unexpected entertainment. You know how when some people are handed a microphone they don’t know how to put it down.  Well this poor guy had an impossible task. He had to announce that before the flight could depart they needed 28 people to voluntarily check their carry on luggage and 14 people to give up their seats.

 The arriving connecting flight was over booked and all the overhead bins are already full. Then he went on to explain that you won’t have much leg room either because the person who will be next to you has crammed all their stuff into that space already . He apologized for the fact that the aircraft was originally designed with skimpy over head bins. Then he began the “bidding” process. Give up your seat and we will book you on the next available flight in first class and give you $500. Credit on your next flight. I could hear people muttering around me. “We should hold out till he gets to at least $1,000”, “Don’t fall for it sometimes the next flight is the next week.” “They will have to pry my carry on from my fingers before they get it”!

When you read travel suggestions on line they recommend putting all your important items in your carry on so if your luggage is delayed or lost you have what you need. So responsible people put their medications, travel documents, snacks, baby diapers, incontinence pads and car keys into that precious bag. Along with money, credit cards, and cell chargers. Just the very suggestion that your checked baggage has a possibility of being delayed or lost does not engender confidence. Now they are pleading with people to take another chance on the baggage system. 

You might have some horror stories of your own about luggage vanishing. We use to travel a lot with a group of friends. These were people who could make going to a car wash fun. There were eight of us departing LAX to Grenada. One of the members of this group was the only one who  endured  lost or delayed  suitcases on nearly every trip. We all sort of got use to it happening. When she checked her two suitcases , she instructed the ticket agent to check one of the bags through to ‘Atlanta and the other through to Chicago. “Why, Mrs. Brown, We are unable to accommodate that request.” “Well, Velta, said, I don’t know why not you’ve done it three times before and I didn’t even ask!” (This is an absolutely true story, you can ask her.)

Now imagine you are the Delta representative with the microphone trying to convince a mob to trust you with their carry on bags.
He continued to talk. We will check your carry on at no extra charge.

“Whoopie, exclaimed the guy next to me. Doesn’t really seem fair since you charged me for my bag when I checked in .”

 As the announcement continued I was thankful it was not our flight he was referring to. The group for our flight is sitting there smugly and smirking at the scenario unfolding all around us. It was hard not to feel sorry for the announcer. He was losing support and pleading for kind people to respond. “Please, He said, We would like to start boarding but because of some screwup , that is NOT my fault, I am doing my best to deal with this situation.” It was clear he did not create the problem and would have preferred not to be involved. Then in a final desperate move he started telling flying jokes. He began with, “ I was going to tell you a flying joke, but it would be over your head”. The group began to moan and beg him to stop with the jokes. 

Unfortunately we will never know what happened after that. My flight began to boarding and our group of passengers had to leave before the security police arrived. Who ever wrestled the microphone away from the speaker wore a hood and kept his face turned away from the camera. Did Delta have to resort to violence to get the 28 carry on’s carried off to baggage? How much money did those passengers get who gave up their seats. 

It is calmer here in Minneapolis/St Paul where we change planes to 

Boston. Snow on the ground and 48 degrees. Tomorrow morning when we land in the Azores the temperature is suppose to be 59 high, 57 low with 62% humidity. So I hope you packed a sweater.